OK, it’s decision time on the paved driveway

[Mosey]

I have estimates for 2 different methods. Method 1 is to use 2 1/2" of #9 surface stone for $4000 ($1.45/sq ft). Method 2 is to use 2" of #9 binder stone plus 1" of #11 surface stone, for a total of 3" for $4800 ($1.75/sq ft). He claims they are equal in strength, but that method 2 is just smoother. I looked at a drive that was done with #9 surface stone and it’s plenty smooth enough for me. Do you think method 2 is worth the extra money? Both prices include all prep work, compacting, and weed killer, except I'm going to tell them to use Roundup only (I plan to spray it myself right away since it will be a few weeks before they do it) and not use <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=projects&Number=182233&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=>Pramitol</A>.

A couple other companies came in higher and one came in lower. I’m kind of nervous about taking the low bid, since it might also be the lowest quality. The place with the $4000 and $4800 bids has a good reputation around town and said they did the mall parking lot and lots of other driveways in our area.

This started as a possible project for me to get some seat time, but every company I talked to said I couldn’t save any money by doing any prep work myself and preferred I let them do it all. Oh well, I still have some grade work to do on my pole barn site!

 

[Mike_Dumond]

Hi Danny,
Go with method #2. You'll be happier in the long run. And as for prep work, There's no way you're gonna do it to their standards. Not knocking you, but each outfit has their own way of doing things. And also, (for the lawyer in all of us), if something does go wrong with the paving, you'll have better standing for recourse.

 

[Carl_NH]

Danny,

I also favor # 2 like Mike, two coats are better than one thick one. I was looking into getting our driveway resurfaced this spring, 3800 sq ft. Two bids for essentially the same $ but the area that is the worst needs to be removed - about half the drive, that was $700 more for ripping up and removal of the old stuff. Total cost for half resurface and half new with two coats was $4600 - 4800 range.

After ripping up part of it this spring with my TLB and doing the necessary demo work I can tell you it's hard work, and when we get around to it they will do all the prep work..

Good Luck

Carl

 

[MDNY]

Mosey,

You will like the smooth finsish better for long term use and looks. I also agree that the two seperate layers adds more long term strength to the material.

I have lived in the burbs most of my paste life and that is the general way they did driveways.

 

[Kodiak]

Heres a suggestion that saved us @ 15% on our paving project last year. After talking to the contractors general foreman. I went and talked to several of my other neighbors, all within 1 mile. And found 4 others that wanted their driveways paved. This saved the contractor a lot of money, as they in bulk material cost and trucking. As well as it was cheaper for them not having to mobilize as much, they just drove their equipment from job site to jobsite. Anyway they passed a lot of the savings back to the customers.

They did a vary good job. They came through and did a 1/2 day to full day of prep work on each site. Then reversed their order and did all of the paving in one long day. When it was all done their were 5 satisfied customers, and one happy contractor.

 

[patrickg]

Right on Russ!!

And they should even allow for different customers selecting #1 or # 2 method as both kinds of the materials would have to be brought out to do just the one #2 job.

Just about everybody in our rural area of south central Oklahoma just uses gravel for their drives. In the last couple weeks I have bought 6 each 18 wheeler belly dump loads of gravel (about 70 tons per load). Used one at my mom's house and 5 to get started making a drive for my new house. I have about 700-800 ft done with 2 1/2 inch crusher run and 200-400 left to go when I figure out where the garage will be. May add more depending on how this packs in, then later will add a layer of smaller crusher run. After all the fines wash/settle down to the top of the soil it gets almost like cement even with significant rain if the crown and grading is good.

Are you guys in the "frozen north", require a rolerblade compliant surface, basketball quality surface, or what?

There is a paving outfit about 15-20 miles from me that makes "blacktop" material. When they are adjusting their equipment they produce a lot of substandard output and for some technical reason unknown to me (1 of millions) they don't run it through again to fix it but instead sell it way cheaper than the "good" stuff. I was told it is essentially useless for making a good "base" but is good to add on top of a good base or to dress/renew an existing road/drive. Anyone have a thought on that?

Patrick

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The biggest, and most important part of any asphalt job is the ROLLING. If the compaction isn't done properly, the driveway will fall apart much quicker.
Rolling is also a place where many contractors economize (nice way of saying cheat), because small lightweight rollers are much more cost effective for driveway installation. A driveway can look really good when it's rolled cheap, and will show itself the next summer when you drive over it in hot weather. Check state specs for your area on the amount of compaction required for state building driveways and parking lots, and make that your spec.
We have a guy here who is known as "Crumbles & Cracks" because he installs lots of driveways with a light roller. There's a guy a mile from me who had a sheet of plywood at the end of his driveway all summer with a sign painted on it, "Crumbles & Cracks by C#!$#" because his 3 year old driveway was junk. When the old driveway was dug out by another contractor, he added "Repaired by &*)%#$" to the sign.
Given the investment you plan to make, do a lot of checking, including at the asphalt mill to be sure your contractor pays for his material. Then, go check around and look at the jobs your contractor named as examples of his work. You want to see jobs he did 5 years ago, not last year.
The concept of picking the middle price contractor is a good idea, the low priced guy either made too many mistakes estimating, or is just hopeing to bank enough money to get thru winter, and you might be getting a bill from the asphalt mill around Christmas. If the high priced bidder can't justify his bid to you, he's looking at a new cadillac.
Getting the neighborhood together might be a good cost saving idea, but remember, you'll be the guy the neighbors bring their problems to as well. If you aren't competant to supervise all the jobs in the neighborhood, the savings might not be worthwhile.